Sonja Lahnstein-Kandel

Sonja Lahnstein-Kandel (born 1951 in Zagreb, Yugoslavia) is initiator and managing director of step21 – a non profit limited company for the strengthening of tolerance and social responsibility.

Biography

Lahnstein-Kandel went to primary school and grammar school in Zagreb. After finishing her A-Levels at the British grammar school of Hamburg/Germany, she acquired the General Certificate of Education of the University of London. In 1969 Lahnstein-Kandel studied journalism and political science at the University of Ann Arbor, Michigan/USA. From 1969 to 1973 Lahnstein-Kandel studied economics at the University of Hamburg/Germany and in 1974 she finished her studies as a political economist (magna cum laude).After this she worked at the EG-Commission in Brussels, at the International Monetary Fund in Washington D.C., at the World Bank in Washington D.C., at the NDR in Munich and at the Bertelsmann AG.

1998 Sonja Lahnstein-Kandel initiated the non profit limited company step21. She takes care of the organisation and coordination of step21. In addition, Lahnstein-Kandel launched the foundation STEP 21 in March 2004. Since 2002, Lahnstein-Kandel also works as a board member of the German Patrons of the University of Haifa/Israel.

Sonja Lahnstein-Kandel is involved in various social organisations. She is member of the foundation "Monument for the murdered Jews of Europe”, of Atlantik-Brücke e. V., of the curatorship of the Israelitic Hospital Hamburg and of the Jewish Community of Hamburg. Until 1998, Sonja Lahnstein-Kandel has worked as chairwoman of the Council for a Beautiful Israel e. V. Furthermore, she was executive of AGIS (Association of German International Schools) until 2000.

In 2004 Sonja Lahnstein-Kandel received the Federal Cross of Merit on ribbon.

She is married to Manfred Lahnstein, former minister of the Federal Republic of Germany. They have one daughter.

Publications

"Der soziale Zusammenhalt in den Staaten der Triade USA, Japan, Europa: Eine internationale Konferenzserie mit dem Bundespräsidenten auf Schloss Bellevue", Nomos 1999 (joint editor with Michael Göring)

Sources

* [http://www.step21.de/uploads/tx_templavoila/Lebenslauf_01.pdf CV]